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With tourists increasingly selecting holidays based on sustainability factors – 82% according to Google data last year – golf venues need to show how they are putting the environment front and centre of their plans. Recent research released from Booking.com suggests the pandemic has been the tipping point for travellers to commit to their own sustainable journey, which in turn is putting added pressure on the golf industry to step up its role in the fight for the planet’s future. Ian Knox, Head of European Tour Destinations, a network of world-class golf venues spanning 19 countries and three continents, each assessing their own role in climate action, said: “The pressing need for a more sustainable outlook is clearer than ever. We saw this at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Scotland last year, when golf was given a global platform to speak. “Our destinations have long been committed to putting nature first and implementing measurable actions – initiatives that have become increasingly critical given the growing importance sustainability is now playing when making travel choices, and especially with a reported 41% willing to pay a premium for sustainably sourced products and services.” European Tour Destinations venues focusing their efforts on exploring pathways to net-zero have been highlighted in a new feature, A sustainable future for golf, and include: Son Muntaner, Mallorca – dedicated to reducing its water usage and efficiently managing recycled water Constance Lemuria, Seychelles – committed to tackling plastic pollution with refillable bottles and safeguarding endemic species Estonian Golf and Country Club, Estonia – demonstrating its sustainability actions via GEO Certification, the international eco-label The feature also includes insights from the European Tour Group on how it’s monitoring its impact and ultimately taking action in reducing the DP World Tour’s carbon footprint, which is of huge importance to the future of the planet and the golf industry. “Addressing ESG (environment, social and governance) criteria within corporate strategy is also proving decisive, and something we work closely with our network venues on,” Ian Knox continued. “With a recent report stating 64% of millennials would turn down a job that didn’t adhere to ESG practices, our support and the sharing of best practices among our venues is proving vital. “Now, more so than ever, golf needs to demonstrate environmentally sustainable initiatives, golf venues need to validate their credentials and the industry as a whole needs to take action with business strategies focusing on people, planet and profit.” For more information about European Tour Destinations, visit: www.europeantourdestinations.com

Le Touquet Golf Resort, home of France’s #1 links course and a member of Resonance Golf Collection, has become the latest venue to join the European Tour Destinations network. Following a multi-million euro transformation in recent years, Le Touquet Golf Resort and its three courses are ushering in a new golden age of European golf travel, featuring contemporary comforts and a boutique style hotel. A century after Le Touquet was Europe’s most fashionable resort in the ‘Roaring Twenties’, the chic French hospitality and sandy beaches are once again set to become the envy of golfers worldwide.  “We are a very well-known and established golf resort in Northern France, especially among British and Belgian golfers,” said Charles Debruyne, Golf Club Manager at Le Touquet Golf Resort. “Our ambition is to build on this and attract an increasingly more international clientele.” Laurent Boissonnas, Managing Director of Resonance Golf Collection, commented: “European Tour Destinations is a stamp of tournament quality and we believe being part of the network will help create a step-change in our business, allowing us to tap into industry best practices, a wealth and breadth of expert knowledge, as well as the opportunity to learn from like-minded individuals.” “It’s an exciting time for golf tourism and the industry as a whole,” added Ian Knox, Head of Operations at European Tour Destinations. “It’s only fitting a venue of the calibre of Le Touquet Golf Resort is poised to take advantage of the global travel industry’s rebound, and we’re looking forward to working closely with them on attracting a more international clientele.” Only an hour’s drive from the Eurotunnel’s Calais Terminus along the A16, Le Touquet Golf Resort is an easily accessible destination for golfers from the UK, Belgium and The Netherlands, as well as international visitors flying into Paris with Charles de Gaulle Airport two hours away.  With its critically-acclaimed La Mer course receiving industry-wide praise for its recent restoration – which included the recovery of four Harry Colt and Charles ‘Hugh’ Alison original holes lost to the dunes during World War II that earned it a #22 spot on the influential Golf World Top 100 Golf Courses of Continental Europe ranking in 2021 – Le Touquet Golf Resort provides 45 holes of outstanding golf surrounded by a natural landscape of sand dunes, pine forests and big skies.  Its transformation has also included the building of a stunning contemporary clubhouse, designed taking inspiration from the vast beaches and dunes which characterise France’s north-eastern coast, and the complete refurbishment of Le Manoir Hôtel into a modern boutique establishment with 41 individually styled rooms, suites and bungalows. 

Venues gathered in the heart of the Provence Cote d’Azur region at award-winning resort Terre Blanche, to meet, learn and share best practice in what was the first in-person meeting between venues in over two years. Tourism and sustainability were among the key topics featured at the recent European Tour Destinations Annual Conference, as its network of world class golf venues prepare for an influx of customers this coming year. Joining established Destinations from across Europe and the Middle East were new venues La Hacienda Alcaidesa Links Golf Resort, Spain and Le Touquet Golf Resort, in Northern France. Across the two days, venues were joined by leading experts from the European Tour Group, including Head of Content, Will Pearson and Head of Corporate Social Responsibility, Maria Grandinetti-Milton, who shared key insights on innovative content and sustainability respectively. Ben Martin, Principal at global architecture firm HKS, and Emmanuel Duval from French tourism agency Atout France also joined the lineup of speakers to present global market trends from across the world of tourism and real estate. Ian Knox, Head of European Tour Destinations, said: “As the global travel industry rebounds, the European Tour Destinations Annual Conference is a fitting time for our venues to come together and develop ways to enhance their products and services.” According to the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), booking data indicates travel across Europe is set to increase by 80% compared to 2021. “In addition to the conference sessions and networking opportunities, our host venue Terre Blanche provides a world class example our other venues can learn and benefit from,” added Ian Knox.

Following the latest staging of The Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits, global media attention now switches to the next host – Marco Simone Golf & Country Club in Rome. General Manager, Riccardo Tirotti, tells us how excitement is building with less than two years to go, and how the media interest is already attracting waves of customers to the stunning resort.

Resorts across the portfolio of European Tour Destinations have reported a younger profile of property buyers.Real Estate Consultant, Sandra Ruttle, explains what these buyers are looking for and how they are much more likely to act fast to secure their home away from home.

With a newly restored East Course and 20 Rocco Forte exclusive villas open for business, Sicily’s Verdura Resort is set to enhance its appeal to the luxury golf travel market in 2022.Golf Promotions Manager for Rocco Forte Hotels, Matt Cozens, explains how the resort is connecting its strengthened product offering with new customers.

The European Tour has added the AVIV Dubai Championship to its 2021 schedule, with the tournament returning for a second year to form an end of season double-header in Dubai with the DP World Tour Championship at European Tour Destination Jumeirah Golf Estates. The US$1.5 million AVIV Dubai Championship will be played on the Fire course at Jumeirah Golf Estates from November 11-14, preceding the final Rolex Series event of 2021, the DP World Tour Championship which will bring the curtain down on this year’s Race to Dubai on the neighbouring Earth course. It was introduced last December, when it was known as the Golf in Dubai Championship presented by DP World, as part of the revamped 2020 European Tour schedule, with France’s Antoine Rozner finishing two strokes clear of compatriot Mike Lorenzo-Vera, Italian Francesco Laporta and English pair Andy Sullivan and Matt Wallace. This year, the tournament will be title sponsored by AVIV Clinics, the healthcare partner of DP World, which provides unique, personalised medical programmes to enhance the aging process by improving cognitive and physical performance in healthy aging adults. The tournament replaces the cancelled Nedbank Golf Challenge Hosted by Gary Player in South Africa, which will now return for its 40th anniversary in 2022. It forms a new-look end to the European Tour’s 2021 season following the recent additions of the Mallorca Golf Open (October 21-24) and Portugal Masters (November 4-7). Players in those two events and the AVIV Dubai Championship will be aiming to secure their spot in the US$9 million DP World Tour Championship which will comprise the leading 50 available players on the Race to Dubai. Keith Pelley, the European Tour’s Chief Executive, said: “Last year’s tournament on the Fire course, created to complete our 2020 schedule, was a great success and we are delighted to bring the AVIV Dubai Championship to our schedule as the final piece in our jigsaw this season. “It means we will have two strong ‘Swings’ to end our 2021 campaign – the Iberian Swing in Spain and Portugal and now this Dubai double-header at Jumeirah Golf Estates. “Once again, I would like to thank the leaders of Dubai, DP World, AVIV Clinics and Jumeirah Golf Estates for helping us to play this event and we look forward to a terrific fortnight as we conclude another Race to Dubai on the Fire and Earth courses.” Mike Frayne, CEO of AVIV Clinics Dubai, said: “The AVIV Medical Program is an evidence based personalized program which utilizes hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) to ignite the self- regenerative capabilities of the body and has been shown to enhance stamina, improve body strength and reduce pain related inflammation. This program will help both professional and amateur golfers improve physical and mental performance including focus, memory and attention, as well as accelerating physical recovery. “We are therefore delighted be supporting next month’s AVIV Dubai Championship at Jumeirah Golf Estates, and we look forward to welcoming the European Tour players to Dubai.”

Flagdgolf Technology, recently installed by European Tour Destination Golf Son Muntaner, allows golfers to accurately hit on the driving range by simply viewing the screen to determine the distance to each target location. Each Flagdgolf unit is connected via GPS to all the flags on the driving range, allowing players to accurately view the distance to the flags. This advanced technology allows greater control over the stroke and the choice of club. Golf Son Muntaner, part of Arabella Golf, is designed to exceed players expectations. With extraordinary design, greens that propose continuous challenges and thorough maintenance, playing this course should be an obligation for golfers that visit Mallorca. The addition of Flagdgolf Technology is part of the ongoing strategy to position Golf Son Muntaner as one of the best courses in Europe. The strategy, initiated in 2016, saw Golf Son Muntaner completely change the grass on the course and also included a major redesign of all greens plus some of their iconic holes. The process continued in 2020 with the improvement of its bunkers with the Better Billy Bunker system and now, in 2021, they have introduced this Flagdgolf technology to ensure a enhanced playing experience on the driving range for all guests.